This blog is a response to the SNP not making public all of the submissions it received to its (FIRST! in 2010) consultation on an independence referendum. The second earliest post here is a submission Salmond dug in not to make public. Why? Hiding which of its contents? Is it because they want to run away from acknowledging the court change? Is it because they want to avoid taking account of the issue of return of the diaspora and how some returners to Scotland have been treated by the state?

Saturday, 30 October 2010

from Tripping Up Trump: this is the nice SNP for you

Dear Friend,

Many of you will have already heard that despite 86 year old Molly Forbes dropping her legal battle with Trump, judge Lord Kinclaven agreed with Trump's lawyer Roy Martin QC, ruling that Molly is liable to pay Trump's and Aberdeenshire Council's legal expenses, which could be more than £75,000, according to the Scottish Daily Record.

To be clear, an earlier court hearing ruled that Molly was not able to legally challenge Trump's planning applications. This time Molly was in court for a judicial review of the planning permissions granted to Trump by Aberdeenshire Council, including one threatening her own home.

Molly doesn't have the money to challenge billionaire Trump, so applied for legal aid, but was refused by the Scottish Legal Aid Board because they thought other people would be willing to pay for it!

Trump and Aberdeenshire Council are now using fine words to try and cover up the fact they could end up bankrupting Molly, so she could be evicted. Trump is accusing Molly's son Michael Forbes and Tripping Up Trump of putting Molly up to the legal challenge in the first place. Trump has even accused Molly's own lawyers of making 'baseless claims' and that they should pay the expenses for Molly.

Molly sets the record straight - "I decided to take legal action last year to defend my home from Mr Trump's attempts to force me out. It is wrong that I should have to leave my home for a golf course. I understand the Trump Organisation has suggested I was in some way put up to this action. I wish to make it clear that it was my decision alone to proceed with the court action."

The next step is for Molly to challenge her claim for legal aid before the legal case resumes in January in the hope that the expenses bill will will not have to be paid as she will have been granted legal aid by the Scottish Legal Aid Board and/or that Trump and Aberdeenshire Council will drop their claim for expenses.

ACTION - If you would like to send wishes of support to Molly at this incredibly difficult time, you can write to her at: Paradise, Mill of Menie, Balmedie AB23 8YE.

Please read this article that clearly shows the collusion between Trump and the Scottish Government. Let's not forget that Trump's original planning application was thrown out by the local authority, but subsequently called-in by Alex Salmond's government. Incidentally, Trump's development is also in Alex Salmond's constituency.

Here's what Trump has to tell about Alex Salmond's government when his original planning application was rejected:

"I give the Scottish Executive a lot of credit. They called me and really wanted me to continue going forward. I said, 'Are you kidding? I just lost. I don't like to lose.' They said, 'No, you'll win.'

How personally involved was the First Minister? "I have a lot of respect for Alex Salmond. He's a strong man who loves Scotland above all else. I know he wanted the project to happen because it was good for Scotland."
Many thanks for all that you do.